The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-15

1 ntcnulUV 10 utltlh NV Bhfb VI 'hO way
today. | caused the inquiries respecting
the lime of my setting out TO be answered
hat I should cndeavor 10 do ii before 5
o'clock: but | did IL a little after 3, by
which means / avoided these %inconven-
fences above mentioned"
Neither John Adams nor Thomas Jefrer-
son took presidential tours in the sense
that the word is used today; and there was
q decided doubt in President Jefierson's
mind us TO their propriety. Replying to
the request OF Gov. Sullivan, Of Mas
sachusetts, that he make n tour through
the north, he writes: "With respect 10 the
tour that my friends TO the north have
proposed that | should make in that quar-
ter, | have not made up u final opinion.
The course OF life that Gen. Wash
ington had run, civil and military,
the services he had rendered, and the
space he had therefore occupied in the al
fcctions Of his fellow citizens, take from his
examples the weight OF presidents for
others, because no others can
arrogate to themselves the claims
he had on public homage. To my
self, therefore, IL becomes q new question,
10 be viewed under all the phases il may
present. ! confess ! am not reconciled TO
the idea Of u chief magistrate parading
himself through the several States ~ an
object Of public gaze and in quest Of APP
plausc, which, TO be valuable, should he
purely voluntary. / had rather acquire
silent goodwill by a faithful discharge Of
my duties than owe expressions of IL tony
putting myself in the way Of receiving
them"
All Of the first presidents were, how
ever, men Of wide travels. Washington
wcnt 10 the West Indies M a boy, and his
whole life after his return was made up in
passing from one point Of this country 10
another. jefferson, Madison and Monroe
were all employed in diplomatic missions
to the various courts Of Europe; and John
Quincy Adams, beginning his travels at
the age OF fifteen years as the secretary Of
our legation at the court Of the Gar, Kept
up his travels for q long lifetime at the
governments expense, or out Of the salary
received from the government. Martin
Van Buren, started TO England rs minister
TO the court Of 81. James during Jackson's
administration, and Jackson himself had
led an active life and seen much Of the
country during his campaigns and his
ante-presidcntial career.
John Adams speaks Of the hardships Of
early travel in his journal, written after he
had journeyed from England TO Holland in
1894, as follows: 81 had ridden on horse
back often TO Congress, over roads and
across ferries Of which the present gcner-
alton have no idea, and once In the dead Of
winter, IN l117, from Bmintrcc 20 Balti-
more, 800 miles, on n trotting horse. ]
had been three DAYS in the gull stream in
l77S in n furious hurricane and a storm Of
thunder and lightning, which struck
down our men upon deck and cracked our
mainmnst. | had crossed the Atlantic, in
100, In n lcaky ship, with perhaps 400
men on board Who were scarcely able,
with two large pumps going all the twenty
four hours, Ia keep the water from filling
the hold, In hourly danger for twenty days
together Of laundering ut sca. ! had
passed the mountains in Spain In the win
ter among lee and snow, partly on
mulcback and partly on foot. Yet | never
suffered ~ much In any II these situations
M in that jaunt Ia Amsterdam from Bath
in January, 1854"
John Adams wife, Abigail, details the
troubles Of the journey from Boston Ia
Washington and describes in an Oft quoted
passage, her trials Of housekeeping in the
new White house; but | venture 10 say
that all the woes of these travels were not
more full Of ycXaiion than the trip that
John Adams took at the close ~ his pres.
idcntial term, when hc ordered his car.
ringc the midnight before the Inauguration
Of Jefferson, and sped away froin Wash.
ington that he might not witness the begin.
ming Of his rivals administration.
After Washington, the next purely pres
idcntial tod was that Of Monroe, whose
reign was known ~ the era Of good feel
ing. la the summer Of 1877 he took n tour
throughout the north. lie left Washing
ton in JrHr, aud was conveyed up the
Delaware from Wilmington In n gorgeous
barge, which was lined with crimson vel
vet, and which was rowcd by sixteen oans-
men dressed In scarlet vests, white
sleeves, and white trousers. Monroe
was q great sticklcr for dress,
aud II was he, | think, who turned one Of
his relatives away IRON u Whitc-house rc-
ccption because he wore a garment not
suitable for the occasion. Al this time he
wore adark blue coat, buif.colorcd brooches
Of docskin and top boots, with a military
cooked hat Of the fashion Of the revolution,
and a black ribbon cockadc. lie was
everywhere received with the greatest en-
thusiasm, and all New York, New Haven,
Hartford and Springfield turned out 10 do
him honor. At Boston the greatest crowd
that the city had seen since the visit Of
Washington twcnty-six years before came
together, and salutcs were fired froin Dor
chester nights, Boston common and from
the forts In the harbor. The whole city
was decorated, and n cayalcade Of citizens
escorted him into the city.
From Boston President Monroe went
through New Hampshire, where he called
upon the lady Who, NJ a girl, had dressed
the wounds he received while In the rcyolu-
tionnry war, and he met everywhere old
Evolutionary soldiers with whom lac had
served. lie crossed the Stateoi Vermont Ia
Pntlsburg, N. Y, and then proceeded 10
Sackctt's harbor, Oglcnsbug and Detroit.
lie returned TO Washington In tho latter
part Of September, having consumed four
months In a tour that could now be- gone
over by continuous travelling In about -four
DAYS.
Judge 4. II. notclcr, now Of the attor.
ncy- generals office at Washington, WIS a
boy nt Princeton college when President
Jackson made his famous tour through the
eastern States In lS3i. IL was taken
shortly after his famous notification de-
ere, aud the north went Wild In their ad.
ulation of Old Hickory. Baltimore and
Philadelphia hal received Jackson In
grand style, aud he was to pass through
Princeton ON his way 10 New York.
Judge llotclcr's eyes now brighten ~ he
tells how excited the college boys were
over Jackson's expected coming, aud they
twinklcd ~ he told me how he, with sew.
cml of his mates, nan away irom Princeton
the night before, aud went 10 meet the
President at Trenton, that they might ac.
IL. A.. nI IT. a..